THOMAS J. REYNAL (18570406)
Thomas J. Reynal was born on April 6, 1857 in Portage des Sioux, Missouri, the third son of Jean Baptiste (John B.) Reynal (18141201) and Catherine Saucier Reynal. His birth and baptismal records are not shown recorded at St. Francis Catholic Church in Portage des Sioux as is most of his brother's and sister's; however, his date of birth is recorded in family records. He was raised to maturity in the Portage des Sioux area of St. Charles County, Missouri; however, his early life and education is not known. In 1874, at the age of seventeen, he was a sponsor at the baptism of Mary Virginia Reynal, daughter of William Antoine Reynal (18460312) and Coralie Agnes Saucier. William Antoine Reynal was his half-brother, both having the same father, Jean Baptiste (John B.) Reynal (18141201). The 1880 U.S. Census of St. Charles County, Missouri, lists Thomas J. Reynal living with the Joseph Saucier family, and shows him to be 23 years of age. The 1880 U.S. Census of St. Charles County, Missouri also shows the Joseph Saucier's neighbors to be the Tillman Autz family. Tillman Autz's step-daughter, Louise Werner, was also listed living as a neighbor of the Saucier's and Thomas J. Reynal, and we can assume that this is the reason he picked up stakes and moved to Forney, Texas in the early 1880's . Thomas J. Reynal's trade was a wagonmaker in St. Charles County in 1880. The Tillman Autz family left Portage des Sioux shortly after the 1880 date and moved to Forney, Texas, where Autz set up shop as a shoe and boot maker.
Thomas J. Reynal and most likely his brother, John E. Reynal (18541100), arrived in Forney, Texas shortly after the Autz family settled there. Tom Reynal was to become a woodworker and blacksmith in Forney, the trade he would follow for the remainder of his life. The friendship of Tom Reynal and Louise Werner, neighbors in St. Charles County, Missouri, must have been more than a passing one, and no doubt this was the reason that Reynal shortly followed the Autz family to the small village of Forney on the East Fork of the Trinity River in the North Central section of Texas. The romance apparently blossomed after the move to Forney, and on November 25, 1885, Thomas J. Reynal and Louise Werner were married at St. John Catholic Church in Terrell, Texas, with the Rev. Jerimiah I. Lehene performing the wedding ceremony. The witnesses to this marriage were Louise's step-father, Tillman Autz and Mary Ranold (sic). The Mary Ranold (sic) may have been Mary Virginia Reynal (18590206), Thomas J. Reynal's sister, born in 1859, and could have been visiting her brother in Forney. She most likely also knew Louise Werner in St. Charles County before the Autz's move to Texas. The marriage license for the couple, according to the Kaufman County marriage records, was issued to Thomas J. Reynal and Louisa Werner on November 21, 1885.
It is not known where the couple first lived in Forney; however, on November 27, 1890, they purchased a one acre lot on North Bois d' Arc Street from J. C. Wren and wife for $325. The lot was in the Smith and Newton Survey in the City of Forney. In 1893, T.J. Reynal purchased Lot 1, Block 36, a part of the John Gregg Survey in the City of Forney for $150. This may have been where he had his blacksmith shop, as the lot was closer to the fledgling business section of the town. He later sold the lot on November 12, 1900, to E.C. Lewis, the founder of the well known private school, The Lewis Academy of Forney.
During the years 1885 to 1900, Thomas J. Reynal worked in his business as a woodworker and blacksmith by himself and with other partners. The partners included a Mr. Cobb and a Mr. Douglass. Several newspaper advertisements in the local Forney papers carried the following over the years:
Forney Tribune, Vol. 1, No. 2, June 18, 1889
T. J. Reynal-Blacksmith and Woodwork, General Repairs, Horseshoeing and Plow Work a Speciality. I will be found at the Old Riter and Turner Stand. Here I will be pleased to meet my friends.
Forney Tribune, July 16, 1889
Under "Localles" T. J. Reynal, The Best Horse Shoer In The State.
Forney Register, December 17, 1889
T. J. Reynal-Blacksmith and Wood Work, General Repairing. Horse Shoeing and Plow Work a SPECIALTY. I can be found at the old Riter & Turner shop east of lumber yard where I would be pleased to meet my friends. By good work and honorable dealings I hope to gain a share of your trade.
Forney Register, February 3, 1892
DOUGLASS AND REYNAL-THE BLACKSMITHS AND WOODWORKERS Make the sparks and shavings fly from morning till night. Call on them for work in their line.
Forney Tribune, July 31, 1895
T. J. REYNAL WILL SAVE YOU TWENTY-FIVE CENTS A HORSE, HE SHOES FOR CASH.
Forney Tribune, Christmas Edition, December 1895
BLACKSMITH AND REPAIR SHOP-REYNAL-COBB & CO. PROPRIETORS
Whether Reynal's business was prosperous during his period of fifteen or more years in Forney is not known, however, he was able to support a large family, sending two of his young daughters to the private Lewis Academy on Cedar Street in Forney in the late 1890's, indicating he did make a good living. Reynal also ran for town constable in Forney in the 1890's, receiving a sizable number of votes, but not enough to be elected. During this period of fifteen years in Forney after their marriage, six of Tom and Louise Reynal's seven children (that lived) were born. These were: Virginia Catherine, May Agnes, Thomas, Annie Lee, Augusta, Edward Werner, and Remigius (Remy). Louis Russell, the youngest, was born in Terrell, Texas in 1901.
On October 30, 1900, Tom and Louise Reynal sold their home and lot on North Bois d' Arc Street in Forney to E.M. McKinney and wife for the sum of $850. On December 10, 1900, the family moved from Forney to Terrell, where they purchased a house and lot on West Grove Street from Wroten Lumber and Grain Company for $752.20. They lived in Terrell for just over a year, where their son, Louis Russell Reynal, was born on September 27, 1901.
On January 24, 1902, they sold the house and land in Terrell to John Talty for $1,075. On February 20, 1902, the Reynal family purchased a one acre tract of land from Gertrude Ruvaldt and others in the small community of Talty for $101. Their move to the Talty area was probably for two reasons: (1) So that Tom Reynal could open a blacksmith shop out in a small farming community and (2) for the children to attend the soon to be opened St. Martin Academy one mile northwest of their land. The Reynal's either built a home, or there was one on the property already, and Tom Reynal opened a blacksmith shop. The property was next door to the old Talty store, with a large cotton gin across the Forney Road. At the turn of the century, this area surrounding Talty was a large cotton and hay producing acreage. St. Martin Catholic Church had been built in 1891 one mile northwest of the Talty Store and the area contained many Irish extraction families that had settled there during and beyond the 1870's.
This was to remain the home of Tom Reynal and his place of business until his death. During this period, he and Louise's children attended the St. Martin Academy each day, walking the one mile to school and back. Their daughter, Augusta, later recalled that both sides of the Forney-Talty road were hay meadows and the children walked in these meadows to school each day. In May of 1912, the two oldest daughters already being married, the Reynal's sold their home place to the Dennis Lawrence Layden family for $500.
Thomas J. Reynal, a descendant of very early Missouri pioneers, was to die on December 27, 1912, at the age of 55 at his home at Talty, Texas. He was buried from St. Martin Catholic Church on the "Irish Ridge" in the St. Martin section of Oakland Cemetery in Terrell, Texas.
Louise Werner Reynal, the widow of Thomas J. Reynal, was to remain in the Talty area with her family. It is not known if the family remained in their Talty home after the sale to Dennis Layden in early 1912; however, it is believed that they did. Jump up to parent
THE CHILDREN OF THOMAS J. REYNAL (18570406) AND LOUISE WERNER REYNAL
(18861212) VIRGINIA CATHERINE REYNAL, b. December 12, 1886 at Forney, Texas, m. Dennis Lawrence Layden on January 10, 1910 at St. Martin Catholic Church, Talty, Texas. d. November 4, 1965 at Terrell, Texas. bu. Oakland Cemetery, Terrell, Texas. Jump down to biography and offspring
(18881030) MAY AGNES REYNAL, b. October 30, 1888 at Forney, Texas. m Claude T. Lee on May 12, 1912 at Talty, Texas. m. Claude T. Lee on on May 12, 1912, d. October 30, 1969 at Mesquite, Texas. bu. at Laurel Oaks Cemetery, Mesquite, Texas. Jump down to biography and offspring
(18910000) THOMAS REYNAL, b. in 1891 in Forney, Texas, d. September 7, 1891 at Forney, Texas. bu. Oakland Cemetery, Terrell, Texas. Jump down to biography and offspring
(18920710) ANNIE LEE REYNAL, b. July 10, 1892, Forney, Texas, d. July, 1893 at Forney, Texas. bu. Oakland Cemetery, Terrell, Texas. Jump down to biography and offspring
(18931007) AUGUSTINE REYNAL, b. October 7, 1893 at Forney, Texas. m. William Owen Costello on November 18, 1919 at Talty, Texas. d. August 10, 1972 at Dallas, Texas. bu. in Oakland Cemetery, Terrell, Texas. Jump down to biography and offspring
(18960215) EDWARD WERNER REYNAL, b. February 15, 1896 in Forney, Texas. m. Ruth Davis on January 10, 1925 at Talty, Texas. d. January 17, 1972 at Bay City, Texas. bu. at Bay City, Texas. lr. 77414. ss. 453-07-4557. Jump down to biography and offspring
(18990925) REMIGIUS (RAMY) REYNAL, b. September 25, 1899 at Forney, Texas, single, d. November 8, 1926, place unknown, bu. Oakland Cemetery, Terrell, Texas. Jump down to biography and offspring
(19010927) LOUIS RUSSELL REYNAL, b. September 27, 1901 at Terrell, Texas. m/l Jackie Kirby on January 10, 1924 at Talty, Texas. m/2 Pauline Janecek, date and place unknown. d. April 20, 1964 at Kaufman, Texas. bu. Kaufman, Texas. lr. 75160. ss. 458-12-4586. Jump down to biography and offspring